Communitas
*Available for Touring*
(see here for more information)
Performed 14th September 2020 at the University of Chichester and May 7th 2022 at the Brighton Unitarian Church
(duration 25 minutes)
Choreographer: Anna Des Clayes
Dancers: Mason Pretorius and Bonnie Simons
Collaborators: Lisa Sang, Julian Howell, Anastasia Margouta, Joe Bishop, Richard Bermange, Vivien Reynolds, Virginia Farman, Stephanie Wright, Jason Keenan-Smith, Louisa Aspden, Danny Brunton, Sharon Barnett
The idea of community appears even more pertinent during the current Covid-19 pandemic. Times of extreme change are often a time to reflect…. What communities am I part of? What does it mean to me to be part of a community? How does being part of a community make me feel? Communitas is an intergenerational, immersive choreographic work. Created as part of a Master's thesis on how dance can foster a sense of community; this piece is the result of numerous interviews and workshops that explored the notion of community.
Feedback from one participant:
"What a wonderful way of combining in-person presence and dance on screens"
Photos by Mike Bignell
Communitas
*Available for touring*
Technical and practical information
Communitas showcases the memories, stories and experiences of an intergenerational groups of dancers and artists. This immersive live art installalation would be appropriate for festivals, conferenes or exhibitions that explore notions of community and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dance communities.
The work involves two live dancers and recorded footage from community groups. It can be installed in any suitable large space. Audience members would be limited and free to move around the space to facilitate social distancing. There are 2-3 projectors and the audio recordings are on one continuous track which could be played through external speakers or downloaded by audience members and listened through personal headphones.
This is a complete work, however, it could be re-created with other community groups, yielding new insights into 'community'.
To express an interest in the piece or to bring a Communitas project to your area please contact Communitas Dance.